Drain cleaner



'S. O. BLANC DRAIN CLEANER March 1 5, 1938.

Filed Aug. 20, 1934 Patented Mar. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES 2,111,521 plum enema smuel plane, Des Moines, Iowa Application August 20, late, Serial No.- 740,621

JUN 18 9 Claims. (01. 15-10430) This invention relates to that type of devices for cleaning'sewer and drain tile and to that type employing a flexible shaft which is usually in the form of a closely wound helix and of tempered '5. steel, which is usually inserted lengthwise into the drain or sewer pipe and rotated, or otherwise agitated-to loosen any material clogging the tile, such as tree roots and dirt.

The object of my invention is to provide a suit- 10 able machine or device for supporting the coil of said flexible shaft wherein any unused portions of the shaft may be conveniently supported and wherein any desired amount of the shaft may be moved longitudinally into operative position by it simply unwinding the shaft from the supporting reel, and to provide in connection therewith means for rotating'the flexible shaftabout its longitudinal axis and thus to provide means whereby a suitable cutter may be secured to the operating end of the shaft for cutting loose tree and vegetable .roots extending into the tile or sewer, and to assist in loosening solid materials lodged therein as the flexible shaft is rotated.

More specifically, it is the object of my invention toprovide a portable supporting frame which may be adjusted at different working angles whereby the flexible shaft :may be supported primarily in a number of diflerent angles to meet the working conditions, and wherein the flexible 30 shaft may be rotated by power means when the frame is in any one of the adjusted angles.

A further object is to provide in a drain cleaner an improved supporting frame in which is detachably supported a reel and rotatably mounted Y 35 tubular shaft through which-a flexible shaft may be threaded, with power means for rotating the reel and means for either frictionally or positively connecting the, tubular shaft with the reel. whereby the said reel and tubularshaft may be rotated -50 in unison or may be rotated at different speeds.

invention consists-in the construction; arrangement and combination of the various parts of thedevice, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, 'as hereinafter more fully set forth, 45 pointed out in my claims, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved device, a portion of the flexible guide and sleeve and the forward end of the flexible shaft being broken '50 awayt Figure 2 illustrates the forward end of the flexible shaft, together with thecarriage for support- Jzhe same, and the cutter member connected to said shaft, -and also the means for feeding the ila moans out tithe drain tile.

Figure'3 is a detail end elevation of my improved device taken on the sectional line 2-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view of the dog for locking the reel and tubular shaft'in operative relation. 10

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 1. a

On the drawing I have used the reference numeral ill to indicate generally the supporting frame. Said frame comprises head blocks II and I2, the block l2 being formed preferably of cast metal designed to tie together the corresponding upper ends of leg members II, which upper ends are cast therein.

Each of the leg members I2 is bent rearwardly at its lower end to fonn ahorlzontal portion ll, the free end of which is bent upwardly to form leg members Ii. The upper ends of the leg members l5 are secured to the head member II by means of suitable U bolts IS. The members ll are spaced apart a considerable distance as illustrated pinFlsurea.

. K 3 Adjustably supported on each of the members I4 is a bracket il, each of said brackets being designed to support a. caster l8. Saldcas'ters provide means whereby the frame may be easilymoved from one position to another when the members M are supported substantially in a hori zontal position.

'A forwardly extending bracket member I9 is secured to the forward face of the member l2 to form a handle which may be easily grasped by the operator for conveniently moving said frame. The member I9 is also provided with a hub 2c for supporting one end of a flexibletubular guide 40 member 2|. 7 Carried by the upper end of the inner face of the member II is a worm gear casing 22 rotatably supporting a worm shaft 22 and a worm gear driven shaft 24, the shaft being in axial alinement with the center of the tubular guide 2|. The forward end of the shaft 2| is provided with a hole 25 for receiving one end of a stub shaft 26. The other end of the shaft 25 is fixed in the hub portion 21 of the reel 20. asclearly illustrated in Figure '1.

The shaft 24 is also provided with a feathered clutch member 29. A spring 2. is provided for yieldably and normally holding the clutch memher in engagement with a co-acting clutch mem- 65.

her 3| fixed to the hub on the reel 29, the teeth of the clutch members being of the ratchet type to permit rotation of the reel in one direction and to prevent rotation in the opposite direction.

A lever 32 is provided for actuating the clutch member 29.

The forward end of the hub 21 is provided with a slidably mounted shaft 33, having its forward end rotatably mounted in a bearing member 94 carried by the tubular shaft 35, said shaft being rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing supported in the block l2.

A set screw 36 is provided for locking the shaft' 33 in operative position. By this arrangement means is provided wherein the reel 28 may be easily removed, if so desired, by simply loosening the set screw 36 and pushing the shaft 33 inwardly. until its forward end disengages the hearing member 34. The reel may then be moved forwardly a slight distance to pull the reel end of the shaft 26 out of the hole '25, thus allowing the reel to be easily removed if so desired. This is very valuable due to the fact that it is oftentimes desirable to disassemble the apparatus so as to permit the frame member Hi to be more easily placed through basement windows or narrow doorways.

The tubular shaft 35 is provided with a collar 31 for limiting the forward longitudinal moveterminates in a curved portion 39, the free end.

of which terminates above the reel 29 and substantially midway between its end members 40 and 4|, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1. By this arrangement it will be seen that the reel may be rotated about an axis common to the axis of the tubular shaft 35 so that the said tubular shaft and reel may be rotated in unison, if so desired, or 'one rotated at a different speed from the other, or the tubular shaft may be held stationary while the reel is being rotated, or vice 'versa.

Means is provided whereby the reel and arm 33 may be rotated'in unison, said means comprising a bracket 42 secured to the curved portion 39 of the member 39. One end of a lever 43 is pivotally connected to said bracket,- the other end of said lever being provided with a pawl 44 designed to engage" ratchet teeth 45 formed in the periphery of the end member 4|, as clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 6.

The lever 43 is also provided with a friction device 46 substantially in the form of a hook de-.

signed to rest on the periphery of the member 4|, the width of the face of the hook 46 being such as to ride over the notches 41 in the periphery of the member 4| without making positive contact. 9

A spring 43.is provided for yieldingly supporting the member 46 in frictional engagement with the periph of the member 4| or for yieldably holding the member 44 in frictional engagement with the said periphery and the ratchet teeth formed therein.

The hook 46 is of such width as to permit a considerable amount of lateral movement of the free end of the arm 43 so that the pawl 44 may be placed in position on the periphery of the member 4| or placed in a position to disengage said periphery at a. point adjacent to the rear face of the said member 4|, as illustrated in Figure 3. By this arrangement the arm 38 may be forwardend of the shaft 49 is supported by suitable bearings mounted on a flexible metal tape 52, the forward, end of the tape being supported by a carriage 53, having supporting wheels 54. The extreme forward end of the shaft 49 terminates in a curved portion 55, which in turn terminates in a sharpened cutter blade 56.

The carriage 53 and the cutter blade 56 are designed to be inserted longitudinally into the drain pipe to be cleaned. At the same time rotation is imparted to the shaft 49 by rotating the reel 29 and the arm 36. The reel 29 is rotated by the shaft 24', which in turn is rotated by means of a motor 51 carried by the member II, a belt 59 being provided for imparting motion from the motor to the "worm shaft 23 by means of suitable pulleys 59 and 65.

' A switch box 6| is mounted on the upper end of the block H in which is supported an ordinary switch 62 for controlling the electric motor 51, the said switch being operatively connected in the conductors of the motor through one of the pipes l3.

The practical operation of my device is as follows:

Assuming that flexible shaft 49 has been wound on the reel 29 and that the one end is secured to the end member 49 by the U bolt 59 and that In the event that the cutter blade should engage a root or other obstacle and should not sever it immediately, then the flexible shaft 49 would be twisted as the knife is held stationary, increasing the tension on the knife until it would slip off of the obstruction in case it did not sever. The potential energy thus stored up would be released as soon as the knife had slipped-from the obstruction, permitting the same to rotate very rapidly so that the knife would strike the obstacle with a quick blow, thus greatly increasing its ability to sever the root or other obstacle. Q The tape 52 provides means for forcing the cutter into the obstructed end of the drain and relieves the shaft 49 from compression strains.

By forming the curved portion 55 in the shaft 49, the blade 56 may be so positioned as to follow the inner surface of the tile or drain, due to centrifugal force caused by the blade of the knife as it is rotated.

Assuming that the reel is still rotating and .52. Thus, it will be seen that any amount of the flexible shaft may be used as neededwithout stopping the rotation of the said shaft.

Under actual working conditions it sometimes happens that as the reel is being rotated and the butting knife being rotated by the flexible shaft, that the cutting knife encounters obstructions which temporarily retard or stop its rotation and thereafter'permit the release of the cutter and these different conditions follow quickly in succession. Under such conditions there is at times a tendency for the flexible shaft as it is advanced through the arm 38 to rotate said arm faster or slower than the rotation of the reel and this would permit the flexible shaft to move longitudinally. Attimesit is desirable to prevent such movement of the arm 38 and for that purpose I have provided the friction brake member 46 to oppose such relative movement of the arm 38, and for additional protection against the movement of the arm 38 toward the-left as shown in Figure 3, .I have provided the ratchet.

device 44. and 41.

When it. is desired, to withdraw the shaft from the drain, then the'operator simply grasps the arm 38 and retards its movement while the reel 4| is being rotated.

If the motor is stopped and it is desired to wind someof the shaft 49 on the reel, then the operator grasps the periphery of the member 40 and turns it in a counter clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 3, at the same time holding the arm 38 against rotation;

On account of the beveled teeth in the clutch. members 29 and 3| rotation of the reel is per- ;mitted without rotating the shaft 24 of the motor connected therewith.

The outer end of the tubular shaft 35 is provided with a set screw 64 for locking the flex- ,ible shaft 49 against longitudinal movement therein when so desired, and when so locked the entire frame l0 may be moved forwardly to cause the flexible shaft to be advanced in the drain. The flexible guide 2| serves to make connection with the entrance of the drain, thereby providing means to prevent kinking of the' shaft and torsional strains applied thereto.

The frame member Ill may be supported on the casters I8 with either end of the members ll resting on the supporting floor, in which case two different inclinations are provided for the' member 35, or, if desired, the entire frame'may be supported on the members IS, with the shaft 35 extending vertically.

The entire unit may be disassembled by sliding the shaft 33 longitudinally in the hub 21 in the manner-before described, so that the reel 28 may be removed, after which the shaft 35 may be removed from its bearing by first removing the collar in which the set screw 64 is mounted. 1

Thus it will be seen I have provided a device for operating flexible shafts, as used in connection with drain cleaning tools, which is of simple,

.durable and inexpensive construction.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a supporting frame, a reel for supporting a flexible drive shaft rotatably mounted in said frame, a

' rotatably mounted tubular shaft in alinement with the axis of said reel and'mounted to rotate relative to said reel, the inner end of said tubular shaft being bent outwardly and thence curved inwardly over said reel, a flexible shaft wound on 'said reel, having one end fixed to the reel and its opposite end threaded through said tubular shaft, and means for rotating said reel,

and means for controlling relative movement between said reel and said-tubular shaft.

2. In a device of the class described, a supporting frame, a reel for supporting a flexible drive shaft rotatably mounted in said. frame, a tubular shaft in alinement with the axis of said reel and mounted to rotate relative to said reel,

tive to said reel. and in alinement with the axis.

of said reel, the inner end of said tubular shaft being bent outwardly, thence inwardly and terminating at a point over said reel, a flexible shaft wound on said reel, having one end flxed'thereto and its opposite end threaded through said tubular shaft, means for operatively connecting saidtubular shaft to said reel, means for rotating said reel, and a clutch member for operatively connecting said reel rotating means to said reel, said clutch member being adapted to permit the reel to rotate freely in one direction.

4. In a cleaner for drain pipes, the combination of a frame, aflexible shaft adapted to. support a cutter element at one; end and to be moved longitudinally into a drain pipe and to be rotated therein, a reel for supporting the unused end of said flexible shaft, means for rotatably mounting said reel in saidframe to permit the reel to rotate to impart torsional motion to said shaft, a guide for the flexible shaft supported in position spaced from said reel and substantially in the axis of said rotation of the reel, the flexible shaft being passed from said reel through. said guide, and means supported between the reel and guide adapted to rotate, with said reel for guiding that portion of the flexible shaft between the reel and guide to prevent kink;- ing and buckling when torsional strain is applied to said flexible shaft.

5. In a device of the class described, a supporting frame, a reel rotatably mounted in said frame,

- a flexible shaft coiled and carried by said reel, a

tubular. shaft mounted to rotate relative to said reel and in alignment with its axis of rotatio the inner end of said tubular shaft being bent outwardly and terminating at a point near said to said reel and in alignment with its axis of rotation, the inner end of said tubular shaft being said coil, the free end ofsaid flexible shaft being extended through said tubular shaft, means for operatively connecting said tubulaf'shaft to said reel, a tubular shaft mounted to-rotate relative bent outwardly and terminating-at a' point near reel, means for rotating said reel, and a clutch member for operatively connecting said reel rotating means to said reel, said clutch being adapted to operate to permit the reel to rotate tion of a frame, a flexible shaft adapted to sup- P rt a cutter element at one end and to be moved longitudinally into a drain pipe and to be rotated therein, a reel for supporting the unused end of said flexible shaft, means for rotatably mounting said reel to permit the reel in said frame to rotate to impart torsional motion to said shaft, a tubular shaft mounted to rotate relative to said reel and in alignment with the axis of said rotation of the reel, the inner end of said tubular shaft being bent outwardly and terminating at a point near said reel for guiding the free end of said flexible shaft from said reel through the outer end of said tubular shaft to prevent kinking and buckling of the shaft when torsional strain is applied thereto.

9. In a drain cleaner, the combination of a flexible shaft formed of resilient material which when one end is rotated about its longitudinal axis and the other end held against such rotation will be twisted and torsional strains be set up therein, a reel having one end portion of said flexible shaft flxed thereto against rotation relative to the longitudinal axis of the-flexible shaft,

and coiled portions of said flexible shaft carried by the reel, means for imparting rotary motion to the reel and from the reel to the flexible shaft about an axis at the central portion of said coils in the direction for twisting the flexible shaft relative to the longitudinal axis of the flexible shaft, and for forcing the coiled portions of the flexible shaft into flrm engagement with the reel, to thereby oppose uncoiling of said coiled portions of the flexible shaft relative to the reel, a guide for the flexible shaft spaced apart from the coiled portions of the flexible shaft upon the reel and in line with the axis of the reel and through which the flexible shaft is extended, an

anti-kink guide device having said flexible shaft extended through it and being positioned between polnts adjacent said guide and the coiled portions of the flexible shaft carried by the reel, portions of said anti-kink guide device being in engagement with the flexible shaft at points spaced laterally from the axis of the reel and shaped to prevent kinking movement of the flexible shaft between the guide and the reel, said anti-kink guide device being rotatably supported at a point in line with the axis of the reel for rotation by the reel and flexible shaft at the same speed as that of the reel and said antikink device being also capable of independent rotation relative to the reel, said flexible shaft being adapted to carry a cutting blade at its free end portion, said elements being so arranged and combined that when said cutting blade is stopped and held against rotation and the rotation of the reel is continued thereafter, the flexible shaft will be twisted and torsional strains set up therein, and whereby when the blade becomes released the torsional strains stored in the flexible shaft will rapidly and forcefully'rotate the blade.

SAMUEL O. BLANC. 

